We are pleased to welcome Darin Lewis as our new Cathedral Sexton. He began work on 01 October and has been working closely with the Property Committee and Cathedral staff members to learn about our buildings and programs.
He brings a wealth of experience to the position, along with a pleasant nature, lots of ideas, and a curiosity to learn. If you see him, please say hello and introduce yourself!
Originally born in PEI, Darin moved to Fredericton in the early ’70s and met the love of his life, Heather. They have two children, Connor and Kiana.
He has a background in maintenance and security, and looks forward to many years working with the Cathedral staff.
This story was shared by a member of our congregation, Andreas Decken.
Photo: Young servers assisting with worship in spring 2024. The crucifer is in the middle, holding the processional cross.
Sometime in the early 1990's, I was living in Hamilton, Ontario as a graduate student. One winter, I decided stay in Hamilton and not go home to Germany to visit friends and family as I usually did. That meant that I was going to spend Christmas by myself. Luckily, a friend of mine invited me to spend part of the holidays with her family. On Christmas Eve, we went to her Catholic church in Oakville, where her mother was very active.
Her Mom had a long conversation with the priest, who came over to greet me. He then told me that the cross bearer had not arrived yet and asked if I was willing to step into the role. Of course I agreed, and I actually thought that it would be rather funny for a Protestant boy to carry the cross at the Christmas procession in a Catholic church.
All was fine until the priest explained the details. He said, " Andreas, you know that I have to follow the cross no matter where you take it, so please do not walk out of the church as I will have no choice but to leave as well."
I was terrified of taking a wrong turn, but of course everything worked out well. It is one of those stories you never forget, and it is my "Story of the Cross".
- Andreas Decken, as told to Carol Ann Melvin
At the Cathedral, servers assist with a variety of duties during worship, including carrying the cross (the crucifer). Anyone interested in becoming a server (youth or adult) should contact the Cathedral Office or the Dean.
This summer, we are pleased to have Angus McDonell working as a Cathedral Tour Guide. He is working with Alex LeBlanc.
It’s my first time working as tour guide for the Cathedral and as a tour guide in general. I have been enjoying the work quite a lot. I love giving tours and learning the history of the Cathedral, for example, how it was built, who has been here, and so on.
I find the wide variety of people who come to visit to be quite impressive. You meet people from all over, with a lot of them travelling from Europe and Asia. You get to know them, and that’s fascinating. It’s surprising that there are so many people who come from around the world.
The tour that stood out the most for me was three weeks ago. I met a man, who grew up in the same town as my father. He was familiar with the Cathedral because of his former posting in Oromocto. During our conversation, we realized that we were third or fourth cousins! We were interested in a lot of the same things, and I found it really enjoyable getting to meet him.
It has been really great, working as a Cathedral tour guide. I am not part of the congregation, so previously, I had only been there a couple of times and never long enough to actually look around. However, it’s an incredible building with a lot to see. I found it quite interesting learning the Cathedral’s history, and I found it even more interesting being able to share the history.
This fall, I will continue working on my political science degree, and in the future, I am planning to go to law school.
Filip Vanicek grew up in the lap of luxury. He and his family enjoyed a country estate and an ornate, five-storey building in the heart of Prague where they lived, along with much of his extended family.
“Our family were academics and lawyers,” he said. “My childhood was phenomenal, absolutely fantastic — until the Russians came."
A member of our congregation, Helen Liang, grew up in China, and she sent us a few photos of Christmas there.
She says:
Christmas is an important festival in China. Most of the photos are of outdoor decorations, with only one image of a floating Christmas tree in a mall. Christmas is also the busiest time for the church, with various Christmas decorations in the church and various praise performances on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. But Chinese people don't eat Turkey at Christmas. There is no specific Christmas dinner, sometimes we will book in advance to eat at a restaurant.
In a letter dated 10 August, 2023, our Bishop has answered a request made by the Dean and the Bishop and Chapter to appoint Isabel Cutler deacon at Christ Church Cathedral. Our congratulations to Isabel and we look forward to having her once again part of the ministry team.
Isabel Cutler was ordained to Holy Orders as a Deacon in the Diocese of Western Newfoundland in July 2019. She and her husband Nathan, who was ordained to the Priesthood in August 2019, served in the Parish of Isle aux Mort, Margaree, FoxRoose on the southwest coast of Newfoundland for two years. This was a miraculous gift for Isabel, after a lifetime of serving Our Lord Jesus in a Lay capacity for most of her life.
Born, raised and educated in the UK, Isabel is aware of the strong Christian influence of her parents; the hospital environment and care of patients she lived alongside; the Anglo Catholic school she attended run by the Community of All Hallows; and the positive vocational attitude towards nursing as she did her general nurse training at St. George’s Hospital, London UK. In 1972 Isabel, armed with her State Registered Nurse, Midwifery and Public Health certificates and two years work experience, came for one year to work as a Public Health Nurse with the International Grenfell Association in St. Anthony, Newfoundland.
She met Nathan and they married in 1974 and had 47 happy years together. They welcomed Jenny, Andrew and Nicholas in quick succession and Isabel is very blessed to have six grandchildren. Fifteen years living in various parts of NL and then 30 years in Fredericton, NB with two years in the UK attending St. John’s College Nottingham where Isabel was able to audit theology courses alongside Nathan. All were times of formation of Isabel’s spiritual life especially in Fredericton. Always a member of Christ Church Cathedral, a longtime member of Mother’s Union, three times member of Bishop and Chapter, Chair of the Missions and Christian Education and Spiritual Growth Committees and then instrumental in starting, alongside a very positive team, the Health Ministry. Isabel held the first Parish Nurse position 2005-2015 while initially still employed as a Labour and Delivery nurse and with the Victorian Order of Nurses.
Isabel completed the Parish Nursing training programme in 2007. Both Isabel and Nathan went to “ACPO” and were accepted as Postulants for Ordination to the Priesthood. Isabel feels very blessed to have so many rich opportunities to have a close relationship with Jesus, through Cathedral and Diocesan programmes, spiritual direction for 25 years and through bible study and the diversity of worship.
It is now two years since Nathan died so very unexpectedly. Isabel is back in Fredericton near her sons and grandchildren whom she loves to spend time with. She likes to paint watercolours and to read, but time runs away! She feels very blessed in having her family close by and also loving friends. God is a God of Surprises as she realizes, at nearly 77 years old, He still has something for her to do as a Deacon. As Nathan used to say, “Life is Wonderful and Full of Wonder”. Alleluia.
- submitted by Isabel Cutler
In 2016, Isabel was featured in the NB Anglican, in an article written by Gisele McKnight. It highlights Isabel's presentation to the Anglican Church Women (ACW), reflecting on the people and places that have made an impact on her life. Read the article.
Alex LeBlanc is back with us for the summer of 2024, again in the position of Lead Tour Guide, working alongside Angus McDonell.
The article below was written in 2023 when Alex was working with Muriel Falkenstein.
Hi everyone!
I am so glad to be back working for the Anglican Diocese of Fredericton and of course, Christ Church Cathedral this summer. Many of you probably have seen me around, either as a tour guide or parishioner. Nevertheless, let me tell you all a little about me!
I was born in Moncton, and moved to Fredericton when I was nine. I am celebrating 10 years as a Frederictonian this year! I am Acadian, so I am fluent in English and French. If you know me, I am extremely proud of my Acadian culture. I am a recent graduate from Leo Hayes High School and am currently working on a bachelor’s degree at St. Thomas University, going into my second year.
Since I was young, I have been always devoted to serving God by volunteering in the church. I was baptized into the United Church in 2005 and have been volunteering at Nashwaaksis United Church as member of the Property Committee, and the Outreach Committee. I first came to CCC in the summer of 2016 as a guest who was interested in the history of the building. Of course, I was enlightened by an amazing tour from then Verger, Mr. Hank Williams! I had a keen interest in the bell tower and got a VIP tour of the tower from Eric Hadley. This would then progress into a volunteer role with the church.
Since 2017, I’ve been winding our 170-year-old clock. Did you know that it is a prototype for Big Ben in London? I was so interested in the Cathedral’s history in fact, I applied to be a tour guide in the summer of 2019. My first job! In 2020 and 2021, as many of you know, COVID-19 prevented us from keeping the Cathedral open for guided tours and concerts. I began working at Walmart on the Northside in 2020 and am still working there as of July 2023. Say hi if you see me in the produce department! Amazingly last year, I found out that CCC was hiring guides again, and I had to apply. After another amazing summer of tours, meeting lots of people, and hearing great music, I began my first year at St. Thomas University, making the Dean’s list.
Fast forward to this year. I was overjoyed when I got the call asking me to return for a third summer as a Lead Tour Guide! This is my first time in a supervisory role, and I am so thankful for the experience it is giving me. It always helps when you have amazing coworkers!
That’s just a little about me, and I hope to meet you all at some point this summer!
This summer, we are pleased to welcome Muriel Falkenstein as a Cathedral Tour Guide. She is working with Alex LeBlanc.
Muriel Falkenstein is a high school graduate, classical soprano, and active community member in Fredericton, New Brunswick.
Her school extracurriculars included the Fredericton High School Concert Band (chair, flute section), Model United Nations, and the FHS Reach for the Top team. Outside of school, she is involved in classical voice, theatre, and piano lessons, and she intends to build a career as a classical singer. In voice, she has competed at local, provincial, and national music festivals and twice earned the Royal Conservatory of Music Atlantic Gold Medal, which denotes the most successful practical examination in the Atlantic region.
Muriel is also an avid composer and earned a silver standard at last year’s Canadian National Music Festival for her original composition, La Morte d’Eurydice. Her original composition entitled La Crise, a three-movement work exploring climate change, was recently awarded first prize at the New Brunswick Provincial Music Festival and will be adjudicated in July at the national music festival.
Muriel has had two original plays produced at the NotaBle Acts Theatre Festival and at UNB and STU, respectively, and in 2022, she performed the lead role Anne Shirley in Theatre New Brunswick’s production of Anne and Gilbert. She has volunteered at Theatre New Brunswick summer camps and is a high-achieving student. This year, she was shortlisted for the National Scholarship at both the University of Toronto and Western University. Starting in the fall, she will be enrolled at U of T, pursuing a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance as a C. David Naylor Scholar and Arbor Scholar.
She is excited to take on the position of Summer Tour Guide at Christ Church Cathedral and share the beauty and history of the Cathedral with visitors!
Were you married in the Cathedral? Or do you have a story of relatives who were? We would love to hear your story and see a photo! If you are willing to chat with a member of the Communications Committee and be included in an upcoming series of articles, please contact the Cathedral Office. Phone (506) 450-8500 or email <office at christchurchcathedral.com>.
Gail & Ernie
October 12, 2012
Gail and Ernie MacGillivray shared this memory of their wedding:
“It was a sunny fall day in October, 2012! The day felt just right and remains in our memories as pretty much perfect. Family and friends surrounded us! One of the very best parts of the day was having members of our Worship Band (led at that time by Dr. Willis Noble) sing and play. They really made our hearts soar!!! We were told afterwards that their final worship song was so uplifting that folks were tempted to dance in the aisles! We just felt wrapped in hugs. The Very Rev’d Keith Joyce officiated."
Archbishop Claude Miller died on Tuesday, 27 June 2023 after a brief period of illness.
The funeral was on Monday, 03 July at 11:00 a.m. in Christ Church Cathedral with a reception following.
Visitation was held the previous day, Sunday, 02 July 2:00 - 6:00 p.m. at the Cathedral followed by a vigil until 8:45 a.m. Monday with both clergy and lay participating.
We are pleased to welcome Darin Lewis as our new Cathedral Sexton. He began work on 01 October and has been working closely with the Property Committee and Cathedral staff members to learn about our buildings and programs.
